From “Socialist Accounting” to the “Livelihood of Man”: The Viennese and the Columbia Polanyi

Abstract Recent commentary on Karl Polanyi’s oeuvre has argued that the émigré scholar abandoned his earlier concerns of working out a (socialist) alternative to liberal market society when delving into institutional study ancient economies at Columbia University from late 1940s 1950s. This article reconsiders work through lens 1920s efforts theorize socialist accounting and economy in context early Viennese calculation debate. While many interpretations have been provided work, gradual—for some even “great”—transformation led focus economic history neither reconstructed detail nor fully understood. Focusing how agenda years laid grounds for approach history, this draws attention certain authors who only rarely taken account, particular, Otto Neurath Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk. sits ambiguously between Austrian School theory one hand “substantive” key, first outlined by Neurath, other hand. heritage bequeathed both an implicit naturalism socialism studies.